Heavy rain takes a toll on Geraldton’s rural road network

Heavy rains over the past few months have taken a toll on the City of Greater Geraldton’s rural roads network, according to Mayor Shane Van Styn, who is urging motorists not to ignore road closures.

The City is assessing damage to more than 1300km of unsealed roads after they were closed when more than 17mm of rain fell last Tuesday.

Mr Van Styn said the City expected to see many people hitting rural roads over the coming months to see the wildflowers.

“The strong winter rains . . . are resulting in constantly changing road conditions,” he said.

“When it rains, our unsealed gravel roads can deteriorate quickly, turning slippery and soft, which could cause serious damage to both the vehicle and the road.”

He said residents and visitors should take care and drive to the conditions, which often became “hazardous” during and after rain.

“No one wants their weekend wildflower adventure turning into a rescue mission,” Mr Van Styn said.